odell



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

5.3. ODBLAL; ELECTRIC RAILWAY APPARATUS.

No. 425,388. Patented Apr. 8, 1890.

lliii IIIIIHIHII (NoModel.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

' J. B. ODELL.

Y ELECTRIC RAILWAY APPARATUS. No. 425,388. Patented Apr. 8, 1890.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.-

` J=. B. ODBLL.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY APPARATUS.

No. 425,388. Patented Apr. 8, 1890.

, UNITED STATES nfrnNr einen,

JOHN B. ODELL. OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO HORATIO N. MAY, OF SAME PLACE.

ELECTRIC- RAILWAY APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 425,388, dated April 8, 1890.

Application filed November 30, 1889. Serial No. 332,153. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom zit may concern.:

Be it known that I, .TOI-IN B. ODEL-L, a resident of Chicago, county of Cooluand State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements `in Electric-Railway Apparatus, of which I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification..

My present invention, while applicable, so far as certain of its features are concerned, to that system ot' electrical railways commonly known as the multiple system, in which the current from the generator is split up and distributed through the motors ot the various, cars upon the route, is more particularly dii, rected to the improvement of the systemknown as the series system, in which the main body ot current is passed through the,

motors of all the cars on the route.

My present invention has Jfor its obj ect,` first, to improve the construction of the conduit within which will be placed the cond u'ct. ors for current, and within which will travel; the contact brushes or wheels that serve tov deliver current from the conductors to the,

motors upon the cars.

for sustaining and operating said arm from the car.

A still further object of my invention is to provide improved means whereby the move-f ment communicated from the motor of the car to the driving-wheels can be graduated, in order to permit the easy starting and stopping of the car without necessarily diminishing the speed of the motor.

My invention also consists in a novel arrangement and connection of the conductors and means for controlling the passage of current therethrough.

These several objects of accomplished by the novel construction hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out by the claims at the end of this specification.

Figure l is a view in vertical transverse section through a subway embodying my ininvention I .have

vention, this view illustrating in i'ront elevation my improved construction of contact-arm and means for sustaining the same and the car embodying other features of my invention. Fig. 2 is a view showing in side elevation my 55 improved subway, and showing also the car and in side elevation the mechanism sustained thereby, portions ot the car being broken away for purposes ci better illustration. Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the improved 6o arrangement ot conductors and means for controlling the passage 0i` current therethrough. Fig. i isa detail view in side elevation of one of the yokes or braces of the subway or conduit. The subway or conduit embodying my improved construction comprises a bottom formed of plates A, preferably of concavoconvex shape, that are sustained by means of suitable yokes or braces B, that are located 7o at convenient distances apart, the bottom plates A being in sections, the ends of which rest upon the correspondiugly-curved portions of the yoltes or braces and ent-er seats beneath the depending shoulders Z) of the 7 5 braces. The sides of the conduit are formed by the plates C, that are removably held within suitable flanges 2, projecting from the sides of the yokes B, and by preference the bottom edges of these plates C are sustained by the Se flanges 3, also projecting laterally from the yokes. The top of the subway is formed by two plates l), that rest upon the upper ends of the arms of the braces B, the depending portions d of these plates D resting, preferably, upon shoulders l, formed upon the outer edges of the braces B near their tops. The top plates I) are separated a sufficient distance to form the usual slot, through which can tra-vel the arm that serves to carry the 9o contact wheels or brushes which take the current from the conductors within the conduit. The yokes or braces B are preferably formed or provided with the laterally projecting iianges 5, to which will be bolted, as at (i, the

ends ot suitable stringers E and E', preferably of wood, that serve to carry upon their lower edges the conductors F and F', through which current for the propulsion of the cars will be carried. The stringere E and E will rco after removingr the paving and earth adjacent the upper portion of the conduit, to lift off the top plates D and withdraw th-e side plates C, one or both, as may be necessary. The side plates C are by preference arranged in vertically-inclined position, and by preference the lower edges of these plates overlap the upper edges of the bottom plates A, since by such arrangement not merely is thewater better deflected from the sides of the conduit,

lbut t-he upper exposed portion of the conduit is made smaller and the plates are held in convenient position for ready withdrawal.

Within the subway or conduit and upon: the conductors F and F travel the contact brushes or wheels G and G,'these wheels being preferably of copper and having their axles extending through and revolving in steel hubs or bushings l0, that are: held within the yoke-shaped ends 7L and 7L of the contactarm H. The ends bland h of this contactarm are shown as formed of suitable insulating material-such as vulcanized fiber or the like-and between these arms are held the iiexiblecontact-plates 20` and' 2l, `that bear against the ends of thev journals g. Vith thesecontact-plates 2O and 2l are connected, respectively, the ends of the conducting-wires 22 and 23, that are properlyinsulated and extend upwardly through the stem of the arm II and thence beneath the car to the respective binding-posts of the motor WV. The upper'portion of the stem ofthe contact-arm H' passes through the brackets 30 and 3l, that are sustained by' is by preference rounded and the sectional journal-box'32, the brackets being held in position by the tie-rods 33, the

upper ends of which extend through suitable holes within the angle-plates 34, that depend from the bottom 4 of the car. The upper vportion of the stem of the contact-arm Il is formed with a shoulder 36, against which bears the coiled spring 37, the opposite end of this spring resting upon the lower bracket 3l, the spring thereby serving to lift the contact-arm, and consequently to hold the contact brushes or wheels G in proper bearing against the conductors F and F within the conduit. -My object in thus sustaining the ,contact-arm from the -axle of the car is to avoid the motion which would be given to such arm if it were sustained by any part of the car subject to the action of the usualcarsprings. The tie-rods 33, projecting through ment of this lever K is effected'by means of a screw-stein K', that passes through a threaded nut 38 and is controlled by means of a handwheel 39. From this construction it will be seen that when it is desired to move the contact wheels or brushes G away from the conductors F and F it is only necessary to turn the hand-wheel 3.9, thereby causing the lever K to b ear upon and depress the stem of the contact-rod H against the force of the spring 37. When, however, the throw-off lever K is released, the coiled spring 37 will restore the brushes or wheels G to proper bearing posi-` tion against the conductors F and F.

In order to effect the gradual starting and stopping of the car, I have provided improved means whereby the rotation of the motorshaft w may be communicated to the drive- Wheel Y without necessarily diminishing theA speed of the motor, this being accomplished by connecting the motor and the drive-wheel by means of a variable friction device. I prefer to mount the motor WV upon a movable base-plate WV', that restsy upon the railsl 40 of the bed-plate 4l and is guarded against lateral movement bysuitable side plates 42, and from the pulley ofthe motor-shaft leads a belt 50, that passes over the drive-pulley upon4 the axle of the drive-wheels Y. From this construction it is plain that if the motor be in such position with respect to the drive-pulley f 51 as to cause the belt-50 to impart rotation from. the motor to the drive-wheels, and'it is desired to gradually stop the car, it is only necessary to gradually move backward the motor to such extent as to permit the belt to slip more or less between the pulley of the.

motor-shaft and the drive-pulley vuntil the belt ceases to transmit motion to the drivewheels Y. In order to effect the movement of the motor, I prefer to provide a hand-lever M, pivoted, as at 60, to a frame G1, and connected at its lower end with the bed-plate of the motor by the rod 62, and provided with a suitable spring-pawl 63, that engages With the notched I'im of Athe segment-plate 64,. this pawl 63 being controlled by a suitable clutchrodv 65 in well-known manner. construction it will be seen that by merely moving the hand-lever Mthe motor can be shifted back and forth, and by means of the pawl and rack can be held at any desired position.

Referring to the diagrammatic View, Fig. 3,

lit will be seen that the conductors F and F are arranged in separate sections or blocks suitablyinsulated from each other. Twolsections only are illustrated, although 1t will be From this,

ICO

IIO

Y ductor F.

understood that any desired number ot sections may be employed, according to the length ot' the railway-line. The conductor F is connected by a wire with the dynamo V, that is grounded, as at r, and from a point adjacent the end of the section of the conductor F leads a branch wire 71 to a resistance-coil 7 2, a wire 7 3 leading from this coil to a 'contact-point 7 t, against which a contactpoint 75, carried by the armature 76, is at times drawn by a suitable spring 77. From the opposite end of this armature v76 leads a branch wire 7 8 to the end of the conductor F of thc next block or section. From the conductor F leads a branch wire 7 9 to a magnet S0, a wire Sl lea-ding from such magnet and connecting with the branch wire 78.

Assuming the contact-points 7e and 75.to be together, as illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings, it is plain that the passage of cur rent from the dynamo V will be in the direction of the arrows-#that is to say, through the wire 70, the conductor F, the wire 7l, the resistance-coil 72, the Wire 7 3, contact-points 74 and 75, the armature 7G, and branch wire 78 to the next adjacent section' of the con- \Vl1en,'however, a car carrying a motor passes onto a portion of the rod corresponding to the first sections ofthe conductors F and F it is designed that the pas-V sage'of current shall occur entirely through brushes or wheels of the contact-arm that bear against the conductors, so much of the current being delivered through the motor as may be necessary, while the remainder is automatically switched, so as to pass .from the car to the conductor F. In order toinsure the passage ofthe current through the brushes or wheels ol the contact-arm and through the' branch wires 79 and electrounagnet S0, thel operator of the car, as soon as the car comes upon the section of roadway corresponding with any section of conductors F and F', should operate the switch of his motor so as to permit the passage of current through the contact brushes or wheels and around the motor from the conductor F to the conductor F. The instant'that current is thus caused to from conductor F to conductor F it will pass through branch wire 79 to magnet SO, thereby energizing this magnet and causing it to attract the armature 7 G, so as to break the connection between the contact-points 74 and 75 and prevent the passage of current through the branch wire 7l and resistancecoil 72. As this energization of the magnet SO and consequent breaking o t the circuit through the wire 7l is instantaneous, the operator of the carcan immediatelyrestore the switch, so to cause the passage of current through the motor, in order to propel the car,

and at such time the passage of current will be from the dynamo by way of wire 70, con duetor F, through the Contact portions and motor of the car to conductor F', and thence by branch wire 79, magnet SO, wire Sl, and branch wire 7 8 to the next adjacent section of the conductor F. As soon as the car has proceeded so far in its travel as to cause its contact-arms to pass from one section of the conductors to the next adjacent sectionthe spring 77 will so move'the armature 7G as to bring thecontact-points 74 and 75 together, thereby permitting the passage of current through branchwire 71, resistance-coil 72,wire 73, armature 76, and branch wire 78 to the adjacent section of the conductor F.. The current is thus delivered to the conductor F throughout each of the sections of the conductors along the route, and consequently any car upon any section will be supplied with current in the same manner as the car upon the first section.

IfV several cars should at any time be upon the same block or section ot the conductors, the current would be divided between the motors of these cars, as in the multiple System. My object in employing a resistance coil 7 2, as I prefer to do, is to insure the passage of current through the wheels or brushes of the contact-arm and magnet 8O when' the operator ot. the car has switched out his inotor, since if no such coil were employed there might be danger that the current, seeking the shortest course, would pass through wires 7l and 73, armature 76, and branch wire 7 S, instead of passing through the brushes or wheels of the contact-arm and branch wire 79 to the magnet 80.

Vhilelv regard the use of the resistancecoil as especially advantageous,l donot wish my invention to be understood as restricted thereto, nor to the precise construction of circuit controlling 01' switching mechanism by which the passage of current through branch wires 7l and 79 is determined.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim yas new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A subway or tunnel comprising suitable lateral braces arranged at convenient distancesapart, botto n1 sections attached to said braces, removable side plates overlapping said bottom sections, and coveror top plates, sub'- stantially as described.

2. A subwL y or tunnel comprising suitable yoke-shaped braces arranged at convenient distances apart and having iianged sides, removable vertically-inclined side plates sustained by the flanges of said braces, and suitable top plates above said inclined side plates, substantially as described.

3. A subway or tunnel comprising suitable braces arranged at convenient distances apart, said braces having overhangin g shoulders b to retain the bottom sections in place, substantially as described.

4. A subway or tunnel comprising suitable braces arranged at convenient distances apart and provided with iianges 5 and insulated stringers bolted to the flanges of said braces and provided with suitable conductors, substantially as described.

5. In an electric-railway car, the combination, with the contact-arm, of a suitable box for sustaining said arm, said box being car-4 ried by the car-axle, a spring for lifting said arm to hold its contact wheels or brushes against suitable conductors, and a pivoted throw-off lever for movin said brushes out of engagement with said conductors, substan-r tially as described.

6. In an electric-railway car, the combination,.with the car-body, of a contact-arm having a yoke-shaped head, brushes or wheels sustained by said head and having journals extending between the arms, and suitable conductors connecting said journals with the motor and the car, substantially as described.

7. In an electric-railway car, the combination of the drive-wheel, the motor sustained upon the car in a maunerpermitting it to be freely moved by the operator, and suitable connecting' mechanism for uniting the drive! Wheel and the motor-shaft, and suitable means for moving the motor back and forth in order to impart gradual movement therefrom to the drive-wheel of the car, substantially as' described. i

8. In an electric-railway car, the combinaf tion, With the motor sustained upon the car, in a manner permitting it to be freely moved by the operator, of suitable means connected with said motor for moving the same back and forth and a belt for connecting the motor-shaft with the drive-wheel of the car, sub-lj stantially as described.

9. In an electric-railway car, the combina. tion, with a motor,of a movable base-plate for sustaining said motor, a hand-lever suitably connected with said base-plate' for shifting the motor, and a belt for connecting the motor-shaft with the drive-Wheel of the car,l substantially as described.

10.l An electricrailway system comprising main conductors arranged in series of insulated sections, branch conductors uniting the ends of both conductors of a section to the same conductor of the adjacent section, and a switch mechanism arranged to break the flow of current through one of said branch conductors and establish the flow of current through the otherof said branch conductors, substantially as described.

through the"other of said branch conductors When connection is Ina-de between said main v conductors by the car, substantially as de-v scribed.

vl2. An electric-railway system comprising main conductors arranged in series of insulated sections, branch conductors uniting the ends of both conductors of a section to the same conductor of the adjacent section, and a switch mechanism arranged to break the flow of current through one of said branch conductors and establish the ow of current through the other of said branch conductors, said switch mechanism consisting of an electro-magnet and contact-points interposed in the branch conductor that unites the end of the main conductor F of one of the sections to the main conductor Fof the adjacent sec tion, substantially as described.

13. An electric-railway system comprising main conductors arranged in series of insulated sections, branch conductors uniting the ends of both conductors of a section to the same conductor of the adjacent section, a

switch mechanism consisting of an electromagnet and suitable contact-points to break the ow of current through one of said branch conductors and establish the iiow of current through the other of said branch conductox-s, and a resistance coil or medium interposed in one of said branch conductors,

substantialljvr as and for the purposes setA forth. y

JOHN B. ODELL.

Vitnesses:

Gno. P. FISHER, Jr., J AMES H. Punten. 

